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Spider-Woman (2009) #1-7
Spider-Woman, Agent of S.W.O.R.D.
The team of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev return to a Marvel comic for the first time since their Eisner award-winning run on Daredevil. Ripped from the pages of Secret Invasion and New Avengers, this explosive chapter follows the new adventures of Jessica Drew, aka: Spider-Woman, as she rediscovers her life in a world she did not make. Collects Spider-Woman #1-7.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,348 books2,468 followersA comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
March 23, 2017
Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman is apparently traumatised after her identity was stolen by the Skrull Queen in the pap that was Secret Invasion. So Jess jumps at the chance when Abigail Brand, the head of SWORD, approaches her to kick some Skrull boo-tay in revenge. And that’s all the story Brian Bendis needs for a 7-issue book!
I wasn’t very impressed with this one. The setup is unconvincing – the stolen identity thing being traumatic sounds like bunkum – and the story is vague and wafer-thin at best. Bendis fills up the book with Jess fighting various people: Skrulls, armed police, Skrulls, Hydra, Skrulls, Dark Reign-era Thunderbolts, and more Skrulls – bah, all this bland fighting is like Secret Invasion all over again! The reasoning behind why the Skrulls targeted Jess for their Queen was stupidly nonsensical and immediately refutable too.
Bendis does do a decent job of summarising Jess’ character to readers (like me) who don’t know much about her, going through her background and powers. Weirdly though, while he explains her Poison Ivy-esque pheromone powers and ability to glide, he fails to explain what her green energy beams/gas blasts are?!
However, this book contains Alex Maleev’s best work yet. The photo-realistic art is ridiculously high quality and looks stunning against the noir backdrop of Madripoor. It’s also really clear to see how Jessica Jones came out of Marvel telling Bendis he couldn’t use Jessica Drew for his Alias series – aside from the scene where Jess puts on her Spider-Woman outfit, this could easily pass for a Jessica Jones story!
Unfortunately, as always, quality art can’t save a comic that doesn’t have a strong story and Bendis’ rambling, forgettable and pointless waffle sunk this Spider-Woman book for me. ‘tain’t worth the effort, folks!
I wasn’t very impressed with this one. The setup is unconvincing – the stolen identity thing being traumatic sounds like bunkum – and the story is vague and wafer-thin at best. Bendis fills up the book with Jess fighting various people: Skrulls, armed police, Skrulls, Hydra, Skrulls, Dark Reign-era Thunderbolts, and more Skrulls – bah, all this bland fighting is like Secret Invasion all over again! The reasoning behind why the Skrulls targeted Jess for their Queen was stupidly nonsensical and immediately refutable too.
Bendis does do a decent job of summarising Jess’ character to readers (like me) who don’t know much about her, going through her background and powers. Weirdly though, while he explains her Poison Ivy-esque pheromone powers and ability to glide, he fails to explain what her green energy beams/gas blasts are?!
However, this book contains Alex Maleev’s best work yet. The photo-realistic art is ridiculously high quality and looks stunning against the noir backdrop of Madripoor. It’s also really clear to see how Jessica Jones came out of Marvel telling Bendis he couldn’t use Jessica Drew for his Alias series – aside from the scene where Jess puts on her Spider-Woman outfit, this could easily pass for a Jessica Jones story!
Unfortunately, as always, quality art can’t save a comic that doesn’t have a strong story and Bendis’ rambling, forgettable and pointless waffle sunk this Spider-Woman book for me. ‘tain’t worth the effort, folks!
October 29, 2014
This is a Brian Michael Bendis/Alex Maleev title, so I knew it wouldn’t have Spider-Woman leaping ballet-style through a meadow of poppies, clutching a bouquet of daises. This one’s dark. And gritty. Yay!!
Spider-Woman has had some hard luck as of late. During the Skrulls’ Secret Invasion of Earth, the Skrull Queen choose to impersonate her, so she’s now the public face of superhero treachery. She’s given an opportunity by S.W.O.R.D. to hunt down the remaining Skrulls left on Earth as a public service and to get a measure of revenge. Throw in her past with evil H.Y.D.R.A (her parents were HYDRA agents, her dad killed her mom in front of her. **Hello, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Skye plot point?!?**), Norman Osborne’s Thunderbolt goons and you have an excellent and recommended title. One of Bendis and Maleev’s better collaborations.
RANT: This was another good title centered on a female super-hero that was cancelled before it’s time. Other examples would be the current She-Hulk run and Jeff Parker’s Red She-Hulk. Why does Marvel consistently pull the plug on these types of books? It’s a shame. They deserve time to grow and flourish.
Spider-Woman has had some hard luck as of late. During the Skrulls’ Secret Invasion of Earth, the Skrull Queen choose to impersonate her, so she’s now the public face of superhero treachery. She’s given an opportunity by S.W.O.R.D. to hunt down the remaining Skrulls left on Earth as a public service and to get a measure of revenge. Throw in her past with evil H.Y.D.R.A (her parents were HYDRA agents, her dad killed her mom in front of her. **Hello, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Skye plot point?!?**), Norman Osborne’s Thunderbolt goons and you have an excellent and recommended title. One of Bendis and Maleev’s better collaborations.
RANT: This was another good title centered on a female super-hero that was cancelled before it’s time. Other examples would be the current She-Hulk run and Jeff Parker’s Red She-Hulk. Why does Marvel consistently pull the plug on these types of books? It’s a shame. They deserve time to grow and flourish.
January 23, 2023
In the wake of Secret Invasion, Jessica Drew is trying to deal with being kidnapped by skrulls and being replaced by the skrull queen. Abigail Brand comes along and offers her a job at S.W.O.R.D. hunting down skrulls. So she heads out to Madripoor, to track down one of the skrull commanders and then proceeds to react to getting attacked by one person after another.
The Good: I'm always excited to see anything new by Bendis and Maleev.
The Bad: Given that this was a Bendis and Maleev production, I expected more. There's very little plot here. Each issue is just another villain popping up and attacking Jessica Drew.
The Ugly: I guess this was a motion comic first and Maleev got burnt out drawing the panels multiple times. You can almost feel the artist's disdain for the book as it goes on.
The Good: I'm always excited to see anything new by Bendis and Maleev.
The Bad: Given that this was a Bendis and Maleev production, I expected more. There's very little plot here. Each issue is just another villain popping up and attacking Jessica Drew.
The Ugly: I guess this was a motion comic first and Maleev got burnt out drawing the panels multiple times. You can almost feel the artist's disdain for the book as it goes on.
June 27, 2018
this was so so so so so so good! it was a great portrayal of the jessica drew we know and love. it really captures her thoughts and her feelings which i personally enjoy from comics. it is very action packed, filled with plot twists and cliff hangers. it’s only 7 issues but it feels like way longer!
i loved the hydra scenes. in many comics with jessica it is only ever a line or so about her work and history with hydra. this really fills the void with it and shows how cruel and sociopathic they are and were to her. it really gave the comic an eerie and dark feeling, it made it borderline a horror comic in my opinion? maybe i am just a paranoid person but the hydra centered issues had my heart racing!
everyone who has read any of my reviews knows i really enjoy superheroes who are written to have real life thoughts and feelings. jessica is the best example of that. theres always something going on in her life. jess is one of the few spiderverse characters i have read (in general) that have truly dark histories and stories.
the plot is very unique, there aren’t many in my opinion that will use skrulls like this for the duration of the comic and show their powers and capabilities. in terms of getting to know skrulls this comic is a must read. it also doesn’t have any loose ends not tied. even her beginning dialog about wolverine is tied up in the end with an appearance of him.
the art is outstanding and really captures the overall feeling of the comic.
i loved the hydra scenes. in many comics with jessica it is only ever a line or so about her work and history with hydra. this really fills the void with it and shows how cruel and sociopathic they are and were to her. it really gave the comic an eerie and dark feeling, it made it borderline a horror comic in my opinion? maybe i am just a paranoid person but the hydra centered issues had my heart racing!
everyone who has read any of my reviews knows i really enjoy superheroes who are written to have real life thoughts and feelings. jessica is the best example of that. theres always something going on in her life. jess is one of the few spiderverse characters i have read (in general) that have truly dark histories and stories.
the plot is very unique, there aren’t many in my opinion that will use skrulls like this for the duration of the comic and show their powers and capabilities. in terms of getting to know skrulls this comic is a must read. it also doesn’t have any loose ends not tied. even her beginning dialog about wolverine is tied up in the end with an appearance of him.
the art is outstanding and really captures the overall feeling of the comic.
July 21, 2011
I'm not a huge fan of the artwork. I felt like I needed to blink or rub my eyes the entire time I was reading it. It was cool, but not in large doses.
Jessica's Life After Secret Invasion is an interesting plot, and there's plenty of action/aliens/spy stuff to keep you interested. I just wish that there was...more. Maybe in the future Bendis will revisit this character?
Jessica's Life After Secret Invasion is an interesting plot, and there's plenty of action/aliens/spy stuff to keep you interested. I just wish that there was...more. Maybe in the future Bendis will revisit this character?
December 21, 2011
This is a great looking book, with Alex Maleev doing complete art including the colors. This is the perfect follow up for the acclaimed Daredevil creative team. Though Brian Bendis may provide the script, this is a Maleev project all throughout. His use of live models amped up the realism and detail, while using computer coloring to add grittiness fit for a detective mystery.
It is too bad this series only lasted seven issues as there are still several subplots that remain unexplored. The extra material included in this trade paperback indicates that Maleev didn’t expect to be so labor intensive. This is a very involved project, aside from the printed monthly issues, a motion comic was released concurrently in iTunes with Maleev serving as the sole driving force creatively, from designs to layouts and the finished art. It also assured that Bendis and Maleev will return to spin more tales of the femme fatale and it is enough to keep hopes up.
It is too bad this series only lasted seven issues as there are still several subplots that remain unexplored. The extra material included in this trade paperback indicates that Maleev didn’t expect to be so labor intensive. This is a very involved project, aside from the printed monthly issues, a motion comic was released concurrently in iTunes with Maleev serving as the sole driving force creatively, from designs to layouts and the finished art. It also assured that Bendis and Maleev will return to spin more tales of the femme fatale and it is enough to keep hopes up.
June 21, 2015
It's a damn shame that Maleev got burned out working on this book. Oh, I understand why he did. Motion comics probably seemed like a pretty cool gimmick at the time, but it's an incredible workload to foist off on one poor artist. It's to Maleev's credit that his work here is excellent throughout. If I'd been in his position, I'd probably have been tempted to resort to stick figures after a few issues. But he's a professional, and I am not.
It isn't just a shame because of Maleev's fantastic art. I love Bendis, most of the time, and he's pretty well on here. And poor Jessica is a character who'd been ill-used in her recent past, and it would have been really nice to see her come back into her own. The events of Secret Invasion do play a large part in the setup for the book (naturally) but you don't need to have much background to understand what's going on. I'd say it's worth reading, if you don't mind that it kind of cuts off a bit.
It isn't just a shame because of Maleev's fantastic art. I love Bendis, most of the time, and he's pretty well on here. And poor Jessica is a character who'd been ill-used in her recent past, and it would have been really nice to see her come back into her own. The events of Secret Invasion do play a large part in the setup for the book (naturally) but you don't need to have much background to understand what's going on. I'd say it's worth reading, if you don't mind that it kind of cuts off a bit.
January 1, 2018
This was a great story filled with lovely, dark art and non-stop action that came to a nice but somewhat abrupt ending. I wish there were more issues, but I'm glad to say this is the book made me a Spider-Woman fan.
December 29, 2014
I don't know anything about Spider-Woman, and this was my first exposure. It doesn't delve much into her backstory, although there is a foreword. I think that if one wants to learn the most about Jessica Drew, it's better to start with an origin story. I admit the main reason I checked this out was because it has SWORD in the storyline and I became acquainted with this agency through reading/watching the motion comic for Astonishing X-Men, and there is a storyline that features SWORD and the tough as nails, naturally green-haired commander of SWORD, Abigail Brand. She is in this, but as a supporting character.
Overall, this was pretty good. It's practically non-stop action, which is of course, great! Drew can hold her own with the bad guys, even some Super-Skrulls, and that's saying something. She's a very good athlete, and has some enhancements. Although unlike Peter Parker, she can't cling to objects and doesn't use webshooters.
The artwork is very good. Apparently Alex Maleev does it all digitally. It looks hand-drawn and painted, and very lifelike. The use of shadow is spectacular. Although I do feel that some scenes were a bit too dark, and the detail suffered.
I'd give this about 3.5/5.0 stars, because it didn't blow me away. I think I would have benefited from having more backstory on this character before I read this. This is basically a one-shot, but I hope to see more of her in other Marvel titles.
Overall, this was pretty good. It's practically non-stop action, which is of course, great! Drew can hold her own with the bad guys, even some Super-Skrulls, and that's saying something. She's a very good athlete, and has some enhancements. Although unlike Peter Parker, she can't cling to objects and doesn't use webshooters.
The artwork is very good. Apparently Alex Maleev does it all digitally. It looks hand-drawn and painted, and very lifelike. The use of shadow is spectacular. Although I do feel that some scenes were a bit too dark, and the detail suffered.
I'd give this about 3.5/5.0 stars, because it didn't blow me away. I think I would have benefited from having more backstory on this character before I read this. This is basically a one-shot, but I hope to see more of her in other Marvel titles.
July 3, 2011
They should've called this "The Last Temptation of Jessica Drew". Wow is there a lot of melodramatic "here's a new life for you" monologuing.
Plus knowing that this was based on the use of a live model, and then looking at the "art", makes me feel a bit ripped off. The people in each panel look so hyper-realistic that I found myself wondering whether Maleev had just drawn directly over photographs. Kinda takes the "artistry" out of it, y'know what I mean?
All that said, it feels like a giant wasted opportunity to let this die when it hardly got launched. We just established the mood and motivations, and got a whole series of plots queued up, and this thing gets left abandoned. It's like when a great TV series gets cancelled before it has a chance to find the audience it deserves - and this one apparently had even found its audience. I wouldn't say this is Bendis' best work - it feels a little like he let his fanboy for Spider-Woman colour his ability to rewrite his scripts (like I know he usually does). But it's still a Bendis script, which at their worst are still worthwhile reads (unlike Geoff Johns, whose worst writing is actual dreck).
Plus knowing that this was based on the use of a live model, and then looking at the "art", makes me feel a bit ripped off. The people in each panel look so hyper-realistic that I found myself wondering whether Maleev had just drawn directly over photographs. Kinda takes the "artistry" out of it, y'know what I mean?
All that said, it feels like a giant wasted opportunity to let this die when it hardly got launched. We just established the mood and motivations, and got a whole series of plots queued up, and this thing gets left abandoned. It's like when a great TV series gets cancelled before it has a chance to find the audience it deserves - and this one apparently had even found its audience. I wouldn't say this is Bendis' best work - it feels a little like he let his fanboy for Spider-Woman colour his ability to rewrite his scripts (like I know he usually does). But it's still a Bendis script, which at their worst are still worthwhile reads (unlike Geoff Johns, whose worst writing is actual dreck).
September 22, 2014
Bullet Review:
Wow. What a great comic! I loved Spider-Woman from the recent Avengers Assemble, and I love the darker edge here. Also impressed that the artist didn't feel inclined to overly sexualized every appearance of Jessica/Spider-Woman.
UNLIKE ONE ARTIST WE KNOW *AHEM*
Wow. What a great comic! I loved Spider-Woman from the recent Avengers Assemble, and I love the darker edge here. Also impressed that the artist didn't feel inclined to overly sexualized every appearance of Jessica/Spider-Woman.
UNLIKE ONE ARTIST WE KNOW *AHEM*
October 30, 2014
I got the hardcover version "with bonus motion comic DVD" from a bargain bin, and the fact alone that I saved 50% off the cover price makes me feel so, so good. Here's why: this is probably the least enjoyable Bendis/Maleev book in existence.
While I generally like their other books (their landmark Daredevil run comes to mind), I found this one... off. Another Goodreads review for this book mentions that Maleev did the colouring himself. If that's the case (and looking at the "credits" in the book seems to confirm this), Maleev should've stuck to his rendered art and get someone with proven skills to do the actual colouring like, say, Matt Hollingsworth or Dave Stewart. And even though we shouldn't fault Bendis & Maleev for trying something new & different, the overall dark palette really limited my enjoyment of this book.
Also, Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman narrates her own story but feels the need to explain, as if she knows she has an audience, watching/listening to her. I understand that Bendis uses this method to introduce this character to readers who may not know the first thing about this super-hero, but really, who goes around saying to themselves things like "oh, but you're probably saying to yourself: Isn't she some kind if super-hero with super-powers? Isn't she Spider-Woman? Can't she break herself out of this? Yes, I can. I swear."
It's like she knows she's in a story and feels the need to explain everything. ... We didn't get this sort of nonsense in the Daredevil books.
As for the so-called "motion comic", there are 2 things you need to know:
1- There barely is any "motion" to be seen.
2- The voice acting SUCKS!! Take just this one example: Madame Hydra (btw, voiced by the SAME person as Spider-Woman) sounds like a complete idiot.
Moreover, they changed Madame Hydra's car from the comic book version. Instead of the (let's face it) kick-ass souped-up Mustang-like car we see in the comic, we get Cruella DeVille's ugly, ugly car. Why is that?
The Astonishing X-Men motion comic, from the episode I've seen, is by far superior to this one.
So the rating for the book does NOT take into account the "bonus" motion comic, or else it would probably be just one single, lonely star.
While I generally like their other books (their landmark Daredevil run comes to mind), I found this one... off. Another Goodreads review for this book mentions that Maleev did the colouring himself. If that's the case (and looking at the "credits" in the book seems to confirm this), Maleev should've stuck to his rendered art and get someone with proven skills to do the actual colouring like, say, Matt Hollingsworth or Dave Stewart. And even though we shouldn't fault Bendis & Maleev for trying something new & different, the overall dark palette really limited my enjoyment of this book.
Also, Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman narrates her own story but feels the need to explain, as if she knows she has an audience, watching/listening to her. I understand that Bendis uses this method to introduce this character to readers who may not know the first thing about this super-hero, but really, who goes around saying to themselves things like "oh, but you're probably saying to yourself: Isn't she some kind if super-hero with super-powers? Isn't she Spider-Woman? Can't she break herself out of this? Yes, I can. I swear."
It's like she knows she's in a story and feels the need to explain everything. ... We didn't get this sort of nonsense in the Daredevil books.
As for the so-called "motion comic", there are 2 things you need to know:
1- There barely is any "motion" to be seen.
2- The voice acting SUCKS!! Take just this one example: Madame Hydra (btw, voiced by the SAME person as Spider-Woman) sounds like a complete idiot.
Moreover, they changed Madame Hydra's car from the comic book version. Instead of the (let's face it) kick-ass souped-up Mustang-like car we see in the comic, we get Cruella DeVille's ugly, ugly car. Why is that?
The Astonishing X-Men motion comic, from the episode I've seen, is by far superior to this one.
So the rating for the book does NOT take into account the "bonus" motion comic, or else it would probably be just one single, lonely star.
March 7, 2014
It would probably have helped if I'd read the Skrull invasion stuff which figures highly into Jessica's emotional state here, or other stuff that explains Madame Hydra's obsession with her, but this was better than the Spider-woman: Origin TPB. The art felt more alive; I liked a lot of it, though in some places the colour palate was so limited it was hard to make sense of what I was seeing.
Again, though, this isn't the Jessica I'm used to seeing from Captain Marvel and the recent Avengers: The Enemy Within. It's dark and she's tortured and not sure where the hell she fits in the world. I did like the brief glimpse of the team caring about her, particularly Carol.
And let's be honest, I spent half this book wondering if they were counting Teddy Altman as a Skrull and if someone would try to kill him.
Again, though, this isn't the Jessica I'm used to seeing from Captain Marvel and the recent Avengers: The Enemy Within. It's dark and she's tortured and not sure where the hell she fits in the world. I did like the brief glimpse of the team caring about her, particularly Carol.
And let's be honest, I spent half this book wondering if they were counting Teddy Altman as a Skrull and if someone would try to kill him.
May 16, 2017
One of the few Spider-Woman volumes available as a collection. this one spans the first storyline in Bendis's "Agent of S.W.O.R.D." series. Following Civil War, in which apparently Jessica Drew, aka Spider-Woman, was replaced by a Skrull queen and made to be the face of the Skrull invasion, Jessica is doing some serious moping and feeling sorry for herself. Along comes a character invented by Joss Whedon, in an agency he invented with an acronym so stupid I won't even spell it out. But S.W.O.R.D. is basically the Marvel Universe's "Men In Black," the government agency responsible for dealing with secret alien invaders.
("Secret," right, as if New York City isn't getting invaded by aliens every month.)
The story is cool and the art is gorgeous, although the dark, smudgy tones and still frames, originally intended for a "motion comic" (that comes on DVD) don't translate that well onto a printed page. I liked it because I like Spider-Woman, but really, she should be fighting super-villains, not engaged in grimdark alien hunting and watching Hydra kill corrupt cops. The guest appearance by the Avengers was kind of tacked on, and everyone else who appeared was strictly from Marvel's C-list (which, in fairness, Spider-Woman has barely risen out of).
4 stars for the art, but 3 stars for the story. Apparently Bendis was going to make this a long-running series with more alien capers, but the artist burned out, so we only got this one arc.
("Secret," right, as if New York City isn't getting invaded by aliens every month.)
The story is cool and the art is gorgeous, although the dark, smudgy tones and still frames, originally intended for a "motion comic" (that comes on DVD) don't translate that well onto a printed page. I liked it because I like Spider-Woman, but really, she should be fighting super-villains, not engaged in grimdark alien hunting and watching Hydra kill corrupt cops. The guest appearance by the Avengers was kind of tacked on, and everyone else who appeared was strictly from Marvel's C-list (which, in fairness, Spider-Woman has barely risen out of).
4 stars for the art, but 3 stars for the story. Apparently Bendis was going to make this a long-running series with more alien capers, but the artist burned out, so we only got this one arc.
May 22, 2022
I feel like if this was a ten issue mini this would have been perfect but as it stands it's still really fun.
Basically Sword gives Jessica a tool to find out who is hiding as a Skrull. All the skull hunting moments, Jessica dealing with the fallout of secret invasion, and her personal childhood drama. The stuff with Hydra is fine but it overstay its welcome.
But overall still a very solid mini worth reading. A 3.5 out of 5.
Basically Sword gives Jessica a tool to find out who is hiding as a Skrull. All the skull hunting moments, Jessica dealing with the fallout of secret invasion, and her personal childhood drama. The stuff with Hydra is fine but it overstay its welcome.
But overall still a very solid mini worth reading. A 3.5 out of 5.
September 8, 2011
Bendis and Maleev hitting on all cylinders, using this as a warm-up for the superb Scarlet. Apparently this was designed as a motion comic from the get-go, but since I don't like motion comics I haven't looked into it. The books stands on its own, however, with an interesting -- if basic -- story of Jessica Drew looking for some payback on the aliens who kidnapped and impersonated her. It's deeper than that but I can't talk about that without giving stuff away.
I didn't read the "epic event that changes everything" (which Marvel and DC seem to have once a year) about the alien invasion, but this was easy enough to follow. All the details you need to know are within the book itself.
Despite the costume on the cover, I think she probably wears it for all of three pages in the 7-issue story itself. Another thing I like about both Bendis' writing and Maleev's art is that they don't do the juvenile over-sexualized female characters you see in most superhero comics. This isn't about a teenager's power fantasy, it's a metaphor for abuse using superheroes. Done in a very entertaining way.
I didn't read the "epic event that changes everything" (which Marvel and DC seem to have once a year) about the alien invasion, but this was easy enough to follow. All the details you need to know are within the book itself.
Despite the costume on the cover, I think she probably wears it for all of three pages in the 7-issue story itself. Another thing I like about both Bendis' writing and Maleev's art is that they don't do the juvenile over-sexualized female characters you see in most superhero comics. This isn't about a teenager's power fantasy, it's a metaphor for abuse using superheroes. Done in a very entertaining way.
July 28, 2015
Wow. Now this is a series I would have LOVED to go on for longer! The writing is fantastic and the art is absolutely gorgeous.
After being held captive and impersonated by the skrull queen, Jessica feels lost, angry, alone, and wants to get a sense of control back in her life. She becomes an agent of SWORD, hunting skulls, but that gets her in more trouble than she expects. I love reading Jess' s thoughts as she's going through everything, and it's interesting watching her handle each situation. There are some awesome character moments and interactions that make me smile. And she looks so dang good all the time!
*dreamy sigh* Yes, I would absolutely love more of this if Bendis and Maleev ever decide to pick it up again. Jess is every bit the sassy badass she always is, but understandably more dark considering what she's been through. I love her, and I love this book!
After being held captive and impersonated by the skrull queen, Jessica feels lost, angry, alone, and wants to get a sense of control back in her life. She becomes an agent of SWORD, hunting skulls, but that gets her in more trouble than she expects. I love reading Jess' s thoughts as she's going through everything, and it's interesting watching her handle each situation. There are some awesome character moments and interactions that make me smile. And she looks so dang good all the time!
*dreamy sigh* Yes, I would absolutely love more of this if Bendis and Maleev ever decide to pick it up again. Jess is every bit the sassy badass she always is, but understandably more dark considering what she's been through. I love her, and I love this book!
February 13, 2019
Eu sempre gostei da Mulher-Aranha desde a primeira vez em que vi ela salvando a Carol Danvers do confronto com a Vampira na ponte Golden Gate. Mas a vida não foi boa com a Jessica Drew, a Mulher-Aranha. Nem dentro e nem fora das revistas. Criada para garantir os royalities da Marvel para o nome Mulher-Aranha, ela ganhou uma série animada (muito ruim) e 50 edições de quadrinhos (que a Marvel não dava a mínima). Quando Brian Michael Bendis quis reinventá-la numa série própria e adulta, a Marvel não deixou. Bendis teve de criar Jessica Jones e colocar a outra Jessica, a Drew, nos Novos Vingadores. Aí sim ela conseguiu uma certa popularidade e foi incluída como uma das personagens principais da megassaga Invasão Secreta. Aí sim, ela ganhou uma nova minissérie própria e que virou um motion comic (você pode assistir no Netflix). Gostei bastante dessa série, muito mais pela arte estupenda de Alex Maleev (acho que seu melhor trabalho até aqui e, olha que ele sempre faz trabalhos bons), do que o roteiro de Bendis, né, que sempre cumpre tabela. Ação do começo ao fim, mas muito por parte da dinâmica arte de Maleev! Vale dizer que a Panini não publicou essa série por aqui, deixando para a Salvat fazê-lo. A Panini tem histórico de ignorar as séries de personagens femininas, negrxs e/ou gays. Só está corroborando a teoria.
December 2, 2023
Quick is this Jessica Drew or Jessica Jones because I think they were confused. Besides the power set and when she wears her costume near the end, this could have been a Jessica Jones story and that is just so lame to me because they are two very different people.
I didn't really like the art and like the artist, I too was getting tired of it. Why you gotta draw women like this my dude??
The story was so mid. Jessica goes to Madripoor hunting Skrulls after she is quickly recruited by SWORD.
Jess is still dealing with the trauma of how a Skrull queen took her place. While I do appreciate the quick rundown of her backstory, the reasoning for why the Skrull queen took her place was such nonsense.
She spends the entire time running and getting attacked by various groups and kicking ass the entire time which was great but idgaf about Skrulls and her recruitment into SWORD felt so flimsy.
I didn't really like the art and like the artist, I too was getting tired of it. Why you gotta draw women like this my dude??
The story was so mid. Jessica goes to Madripoor hunting Skrulls after she is quickly recruited by SWORD.
Jess is still dealing with the trauma of how a Skrull queen took her place. While I do appreciate the quick rundown of her backstory, the reasoning for why the Skrull queen took her place was such nonsense.
She spends the entire time running and getting attacked by various groups and kicking ass the entire time which was great but idgaf about Skrulls and her recruitment into SWORD felt so flimsy.
August 15, 2016
This was, unfortunately, my first encounter with Spider Woman, and I guess I would have been better off picking up Spider Woman in her news issues and just reading up on her past history. The bad thing about starting to read comics is that you have no idea where to begin in a character's story line. But what I have learned is that if you wish to begin a comic book series it is okay to dive into a new series without being weighted down by decades of previous history. You can easily find that summarized history online, or if you want to be more throughout you can buy the issues you are interested in reading about later, at your own pace.
My point is I didn't have to start my adventure with Spider Woman in this "Agent of SWORD" issue, and yet I did because I felt I needed to dig into her past before I started "Spider-Woman: Shifting Gears" in which she is pregnant, so I figure I'd want some back story to help me along. Unnecessary, and if I really wanted some back story on that version of Spider Woman I guess I was better off starting in the big Spider Verse event (which I am DYING to get my hands on).
Ultimately my issues with this comic were concentrated on the art (which is not my favorite) and the fact that the story itself didn't hold my attention. Jessica is going after Skrulls, aliens who invaded Earth and destroyed Jessica's life while at it. Jessica had it all, she was an Avenger, she had friends, until she was kidnapped and her face stolen by the queen of the shape-shifting Skrulls, making Jessica public enemy numero uno. After the invasion is dealt with Jessica still doesn't feel welcomed by anyone, and the only thing that might give her some closure is going after Skrulls. She is then approached by SWORD, an agency that deals with extraterrestrials. Jessica decides to work with them and rid the world of her personal demons.
What is SWORD? I don't exactly know other than secret agency, VERY similar to SHIELD (might as well be SHIELD's little brother), and... that's it. No back story is given, just know they want Jessica to work for them. That alone would have raised a red flag to me, specially considering Spider Woman's past within Hydra (she used to be Hydra, brainwashed since she was a little kid) but well, they win her over when they wave the Skrull stick. Jessica is ready to kick some alien ass.
I felt the story was necessary to deal with what Jessica had been put through. She needed to confront her demons in order to move forward, but killing one or two aliens does not an alien invasion destroy. It was all more about Jessica's pity party, and her obsession with topping Wolverine as the most fucked up person in the world. I also felt I could have skipped this and no harm would have been done.
At some point in the story Jessica's past with HYDRA comes a-knocking, and they begin to hunt her down, It seems they want her to rejoin the ranks, even though she would never willingly join them. It would have been an interesting plot line, specially when Madame Hydra shows up (she is bonkers) but then that line of the story is dropped and never heard from again. This was of course the most interesting part, sadly. I would have loved more Madame Hydra.
The ending was a tad rushed. Suddenly Jessica reunites with some friends and the bad guys are put down. No muss, no fuss. I don't know if this is Jessica's last stunt with SWORD, nor do I care over much to be honest.
Again, another thing that alienated me was the art style. It was not my cup of tea. It was very dark, the colours and the paint brush always kept the same thought popping into my mind "whoever drew this must have been on an acid trip". It is not bad by any means, just not something I enjoy looking at.
This comic was also supposed to be enjoyed as a "motion-comic" which was something I was not aware of before buying it, but I don't think it would have made a difference on my enjoyment since the things I had issues with wouldn't change. For the "motion comic" experience here is a Youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gchzY...
A "motion comic" seems to be a step down from an animated series.
Read it, or don't, it is up to you of course. I am just saying you don't HAVE TO in order to get into this character. If you want to start on the 2014-2015 Spider Woman stuff go right ahead; this book shouldn't be necessary and if anything, well, you can watch it on Youtube, as this is a very short part of Jessica Drew's life.
For a Spider Woman history lesson you can watch this Youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSOnr...
My point is I didn't have to start my adventure with Spider Woman in this "Agent of SWORD" issue, and yet I did because I felt I needed to dig into her past before I started "Spider-Woman: Shifting Gears" in which she is pregnant, so I figure I'd want some back story to help me along. Unnecessary, and if I really wanted some back story on that version of Spider Woman I guess I was better off starting in the big Spider Verse event (which I am DYING to get my hands on).
Ultimately my issues with this comic were concentrated on the art (which is not my favorite) and the fact that the story itself didn't hold my attention. Jessica is going after Skrulls, aliens who invaded Earth and destroyed Jessica's life while at it. Jessica had it all, she was an Avenger, she had friends, until she was kidnapped and her face stolen by the queen of the shape-shifting Skrulls, making Jessica public enemy numero uno. After the invasion is dealt with Jessica still doesn't feel welcomed by anyone, and the only thing that might give her some closure is going after Skrulls. She is then approached by SWORD, an agency that deals with extraterrestrials. Jessica decides to work with them and rid the world of her personal demons.
What is SWORD? I don't exactly know other than secret agency, VERY similar to SHIELD (might as well be SHIELD's little brother), and... that's it. No back story is given, just know they want Jessica to work for them. That alone would have raised a red flag to me, specially considering Spider Woman's past within Hydra (she used to be Hydra, brainwashed since she was a little kid) but well, they win her over when they wave the Skrull stick. Jessica is ready to kick some alien ass.
I felt the story was necessary to deal with what Jessica had been put through. She needed to confront her demons in order to move forward, but killing one or two aliens does not an alien invasion destroy. It was all more about Jessica's pity party, and her obsession with topping Wolverine as the most fucked up person in the world. I also felt I could have skipped this and no harm would have been done.
At some point in the story Jessica's past with HYDRA comes a-knocking, and they begin to hunt her down, It seems they want her to rejoin the ranks, even though she would never willingly join them. It would have been an interesting plot line, specially when Madame Hydra shows up (she is bonkers) but then that line of the story is dropped and never heard from again. This was of course the most interesting part, sadly. I would have loved more Madame Hydra.
The ending was a tad rushed. Suddenly Jessica reunites with some friends and the bad guys are put down. No muss, no fuss. I don't know if this is Jessica's last stunt with SWORD, nor do I care over much to be honest.
Again, another thing that alienated me was the art style. It was not my cup of tea. It was very dark, the colours and the paint brush always kept the same thought popping into my mind "whoever drew this must have been on an acid trip". It is not bad by any means, just not something I enjoy looking at.
This comic was also supposed to be enjoyed as a "motion-comic" which was something I was not aware of before buying it, but I don't think it would have made a difference on my enjoyment since the things I had issues with wouldn't change. For the "motion comic" experience here is a Youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gchzY...
A "motion comic" seems to be a step down from an animated series.
Read it, or don't, it is up to you of course. I am just saying you don't HAVE TO in order to get into this character. If you want to start on the 2014-2015 Spider Woman stuff go right ahead; this book shouldn't be necessary and if anything, well, you can watch it on Youtube, as this is a very short part of Jessica Drew's life.
For a Spider Woman history lesson you can watch this Youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSOnr...
September 4, 2014
Another Bendis series I wish had been longer. In the afterword, Bendis explains that their run was cut short because Alex Maleev, who continues to produce stunning art, was having to produce so much content to allow each issue to be presented as a motion comic as well as a print comic that he started to "burn out" on drawing the same character over and over again. Its a shame, because Jessica Drew is one of the most interesting characters Bendis has spotlighted in his career. Most readers probably aren't aware that his fantastic Alias series was originally supposed to star Jessica Drew, but because it was a MAX title they wouldn't let him use Spider-Woman, and Jessica Jones was created to replace her. Later, Spider-Woman was brought into Bendis's New Avengers team, which he populated with what he considered to be "Marvel's most interesting characters." And one of my first reactions after Secret Invasion was "I hope Spider-Woman is still in the New Avengers comics, but how awkward would that be to be a part of a team that your doppelganger had infiltrated for years? How would you fit in?" I liked that this comic served as a bit of a bridge between the end of Secret Invasion when she's feeling so broken and vulnerable, and her eventual reintegration with the team.
Overall I wish this series has been longer, but only because the character is so compelling the way Bendis writes her, and the art is so dark and beautiful. A great portrait of a damaged hero searching for purpose.
Overall I wish this series has been longer, but only because the character is so compelling the way Bendis writes her, and the art is so dark and beautiful. A great portrait of a damaged hero searching for purpose.
June 11, 2017
This is a very enjoyable graphic novel detailing the story of Jessica Drew (aka Spider-Woman, of course), and her fight to re-enter the world (aka the Marvel Universe, of course) after a long absence... the back-story -is- explained but involves spoilers. She becomes an Avenger and also joins S.W.O.R.D., an interstellar organization that's part of the Joss Whedon Marvel legacy. It's a well-written book and is particularly well-illustrated, especially in the earlier sections; the latter ones look a little rushed in spots. This edition also contains a DVD motion-comic of the story, which I didn't feel added much. I really didn't see what all of the fuss was about; back in the day we would've just shrugged and called it a cartoon. There are several interesting articles at the end explaining a lot about the history of the character and the production process, though they're exceptionally difficult to read being in tiny font on dark-colored pages. The story includes appearances from many other characters, drawn nicely and written with a good feel for their individuality; it's altogether a fun book.
October 30, 2010
An entertaining thriller/superhero story starring Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman. All narrated first person through Drew, Bendis does a really good job here getting all her pathos and negative feelings about the recent Skrull war out into the open. In this set of issues Drew is hired by S.W.O.R.D., a secret organization who protects the Earth from alien invasion. Drew's is given an alien detector and told to go out and hunt down aliens hiding in the human world, particuarly Skrulls. There some good action and some good character moments, especially when Drew is faced with her old boss Lady Hydra. This is one of the better characterizations of her I've read----she's often either portrayed as a buxom bimbo or a bitch on wheels, and this book shows her as someone much more complicated. Too bad there won't be any more of these...it was a good read.
November 3, 2015
The incredible art saves this from being a 1-star turd. I read issue #1 of this series when it first came out and LOVED it. So much so that I'd debated simply buying the collected TPB when it came out. But because I'm a cheap bastard I didn't buy the hardcover. By the time the softcover was finally released, I couldn't find it anywhere and decided I'd just download it. SO GLAD I did. The first issue is really the only one worth reading in this series. The book takes a detour from the original idea in issues 2-6, and then finally wraps up where it started in #7. By that time I could care less. The set-up seemed so fresh and an interesting new direction for a cool character, but then we just get garbage filler that could be summed up in a sentence and a half.
Again, worth looking at just for Maleev's art, but completely forgettable. A great example of why to hate Brian Michael Bendis.
Again, worth looking at just for Maleev's art, but completely forgettable. A great example of why to hate Brian Michael Bendis.
March 1, 2012
I have never really cared for this character. She usually either has no personality, or she has the personality of a lame-o.
A female Spider-man without the humor, ... WHY???
And yet, I enjoyed this almost as much as Bendis and Maleev's work in DAREDEVIL and MOON KNIGHT.
Though the ending felt abruptly contrived.
A female Spider-man without the humor, ... WHY???
And yet, I enjoyed this almost as much as Bendis and Maleev's work in DAREDEVIL and MOON KNIGHT.
Though the ending felt abruptly contrived.
September 29, 2020
I was very excited to pick this up, though I have to admit I had a few concerns before getting started. It's common knowledge that Bendis' Alias was originally envisioned to star Jessica Drew, but eventually Bendis settled on creating an expy of Drew with Jessica Jones, a dark haired, aloof, mysterious woman with a troubled past and even more troubled present.
Sound familiar?
In time, Jones ended up a very different character from Drew. Bendis' work on Alias can't be understated, and then he had the chance to write Drew* in his Avengers books. Though the differences between the two became apparent the more time spent with each character, I wondered if-- now that he was given the chance to work on Drew in a darker solo-outing-- it would feel like he was writing the same character again. Thankfully, Bendis has developed a unique voice for both characters, and my fears that Drew would be Jones 2.0 were quickly laid to rest.
*Technically a majority of Bendis' work on Drew in Avengers was actually Veranke, the Skrull Queen, in disguise as Jessica. The aftermath of which is the whole premise of this story.
This criminally short story follows Jessica Drew post-Secret Invasion (i.e: the Skrull infiltration and invasion) after having her identity stolen from her by Veranke. At odds with herself and the world around her, Jess is having to deal with the massive fallout of Vernake's actions while wearing her face as a disguise, as well as her own trauma from being locked away by the Skrulls for some time. The story starts with Jess explaining how she always felt bad for Wolverine, who she assumed was pretty much the most unfortunate person on the planet. Until now. This really sets the tone of the book, introducing us to the "real" Jessica Drew. She's determined, cynical and has a humorous streak. She's a moral person pushed to a breaking point, and she internalizes her trauma, which she refuses to share with others. She's a total mess, is what I'm getting at.
Jessica is given the opportunity by Abigail Brand to work as an agent of S.W.O.R.D., which is basically S.H.I.E.L.D. but for intergalactic threats. Provided a Skrull sensor, Jessica goes on a mission to Madripoor to hunt down one of Vernake's remaining lieutenants who is believed to have not left Earth after the failed invasion. Jessica has a complicated history-- from being a human experiment, to being brainwashed by Hydra, then a private investigator, then an Avenger, plus the whole 'identity stolen by the Skrull monarch' thing-- and this narrative parses through it in a digestible way. Jessica's past with Hydra resurfaces when Madame Hydra (the second woman with green hair in the book. Someone call Polaris so they can start a band.) shows up to interject herself in Jessica's business (Madame Hydra thinks she's Jessica's mom, but she's not, it's complicated) and generally be a nuisance.
There's a lot happening within the short time-frame of the story, but it's all very comprehensible and even those unfamiliar with Jessica's history will be able to follow along as she quickly explains who people are and what her connection with them is. The exposition is detailed enough to give readers a good understanding, but not so dense that it slows the plot down. When a new character is introduced, or Jessica uses her powers or we get a reference to an event in her past, we get a quick recap of whatever it is from Jess' perspective and then keep moving. It makes the story a quick, enjoyable read.
My biggest issue with the book is how short it feels. This feels more like the first arc of an on-going series, and there was definitely a lot of potential for future stories about Jessica's adventures as a S.W.O.R.D agent. It's not the worst problem to have-- I'd rather have a story that was really good and ended too soon than overstayed it's welcome-- but it still sits with me the next day after reading and I find myself thinking, man, I wish there was more.
The illustrations are gorgeous. I love the dark coloring and shading. Jessica looks tough when appropriate, and the Skrulls looks extra creepy. Some of the images have stuck with me, specifically Jessica pulling her mask over her face when she's suiting up towards the end of the story, and when Madame Hydra shows up for the first time in a flying car and is all like
The ending is particularly strong, and it helps us get out of Jessica's head a bit and see where her perspective of her situation and place in life differs from the reality. Sometimes we're not as alone as we think we are. We have people who love us and want to help, but we just need to let them.
(Also, for any of the Carol/Jessica stans out there, there is a sweet moment towards the end that is delicious subtext. Yesssss give it to me)
I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in learning a little more about Spider-Woman. The set-up is specific to Secret Invasion, but a deep understanding of the event isn't needed beyond what this book gives you up front. I only wish it could've lasted a little longer. I guess that's just Jessica's draw, and I'm one of the suckers trapped in the Spider-Woman's tangled web.
Sound familiar?
In time, Jones ended up a very different character from Drew. Bendis' work on Alias can't be understated, and then he had the chance to write Drew* in his Avengers books. Though the differences between the two became apparent the more time spent with each character, I wondered if-- now that he was given the chance to work on Drew in a darker solo-outing-- it would feel like he was writing the same character again. Thankfully, Bendis has developed a unique voice for both characters, and my fears that Drew would be Jones 2.0 were quickly laid to rest.
*Technically a majority of Bendis' work on Drew in Avengers was actually Veranke, the Skrull Queen, in disguise as Jessica. The aftermath of which is the whole premise of this story.
This criminally short story follows Jessica Drew post-Secret Invasion (i.e: the Skrull infiltration and invasion) after having her identity stolen from her by Veranke. At odds with herself and the world around her, Jess is having to deal with the massive fallout of Vernake's actions while wearing her face as a disguise, as well as her own trauma from being locked away by the Skrulls for some time. The story starts with Jess explaining how she always felt bad for Wolverine, who she assumed was pretty much the most unfortunate person on the planet. Until now. This really sets the tone of the book, introducing us to the "real" Jessica Drew. She's determined, cynical and has a humorous streak. She's a moral person pushed to a breaking point, and she internalizes her trauma, which she refuses to share with others. She's a total mess, is what I'm getting at.
Jessica is given the opportunity by Abigail Brand to work as an agent of S.W.O.R.D., which is basically S.H.I.E.L.D. but for intergalactic threats. Provided a Skrull sensor, Jessica goes on a mission to Madripoor to hunt down one of Vernake's remaining lieutenants who is believed to have not left Earth after the failed invasion. Jessica has a complicated history-- from being a human experiment, to being brainwashed by Hydra, then a private investigator, then an Avenger, plus the whole 'identity stolen by the Skrull monarch' thing-- and this narrative parses through it in a digestible way. Jessica's past with Hydra resurfaces when Madame Hydra (the second woman with green hair in the book. Someone call Polaris so they can start a band.) shows up to interject herself in Jessica's business (Madame Hydra thinks she's Jessica's mom, but she's not, it's complicated) and generally be a nuisance.
There's a lot happening within the short time-frame of the story, but it's all very comprehensible and even those unfamiliar with Jessica's history will be able to follow along as she quickly explains who people are and what her connection with them is. The exposition is detailed enough to give readers a good understanding, but not so dense that it slows the plot down. When a new character is introduced, or Jessica uses her powers or we get a reference to an event in her past, we get a quick recap of whatever it is from Jess' perspective and then keep moving. It makes the story a quick, enjoyable read.
My biggest issue with the book is how short it feels. This feels more like the first arc of an on-going series, and there was definitely a lot of potential for future stories about Jessica's adventures as a S.W.O.R.D agent. It's not the worst problem to have-- I'd rather have a story that was really good and ended too soon than overstayed it's welcome-- but it still sits with me the next day after reading and I find myself thinking, man, I wish there was more.
The illustrations are gorgeous. I love the dark coloring and shading. Jessica looks tough when appropriate, and the Skrulls looks extra creepy. Some of the images have stuck with me, specifically Jessica pulling her mask over her face when she's suiting up towards the end of the story, and when Madame Hydra shows up for the first time in a flying car and is all like
The ending is particularly strong, and it helps us get out of Jessica's head a bit and see where her perspective of her situation and place in life differs from the reality. Sometimes we're not as alone as we think we are. We have people who love us and want to help, but we just need to let them.
(Also, for any of the Carol/Jessica stans out there, there is a sweet moment towards the end that is delicious subtext. Yesssss give it to me)
I definitely recommend this to anyone interested in learning a little more about Spider-Woman. The set-up is specific to Secret Invasion, but a deep understanding of the event isn't needed beyond what this book gives you up front. I only wish it could've lasted a little longer. I guess that's just Jessica's draw, and I'm one of the suckers trapped in the Spider-Woman's tangled web.
May 29, 2011
Maleev's art is great. Bendis' writing is as it always is. But this one really lacked the spark that brings it to life for me. It just felt like there wasn't much of a throughline to it. Just a bunch of interesting vignettes strung together.
January 16, 2016
The art is really about the only thing this series has going for it. Long, talky sections with little in the way of action. And what story there is is pretty meager. Kind of a disappointment give Bendis' professed love for this character.
May 1, 2016
Almost three stars. While I generally liked the art, it did unfortunately make a few of the fight scenes not so clear to me. The dialogue just felt odd a few too many times. And things seemed abrupt and rushed at the end. These things knocked this down for me.
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